Johann Andreas Stein

Johann Andreas Stein ( born May 6, 1728 in Heidelsheim, † February 29, 1792 in Augsburg) was one of the widely acclaimed instrument makers of his time. His pianos were played and praised by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His achievements in the construction of pianofortes led the piano strings peasant family in Vienna continues in Salzburg the organ and piano maker Johann Evangelist Schmidt.

Life

From the father of Johann Andreas received the first admissions in the art of organ building. This basic knowledge built stone as his cousin George Marcus Stone in teaching at Johann Andreas Silbermann and Johann Heinrich Silbermann, Strasbourg, and then worked at Regensburg master Franz Jacob Späth. After further study and travel years in Ulm and Stuttgart, he first came to Augsburg in 1750 and took there the following year, his permanent residence. 1752 concurred with the artisans of " music lovers and practicing society" of the Augsburg bourgeoisie. 1757, Stein received the city's civil rights. Inaugurated at Pentecost in the same year a new organ in the Barfüßerkirche oversaw its creator as an organist.

Organ builder

In Augsburg there were in 1750 no more organ builder, but were a number of organs in the churches of the city in need of repair or completely replace individual, an expert like him gave sufficient livelihood. So he made in 1756 by overhauling the tracker action and 1767 by a new bellows for re -sounding church music at St. Anne's Church in the Fugger city. In 1769 he repaired the musical instrument of the Protestant Church Ulrich. 1780 was the organ of St. Peter am Perlach turn. The sole and overall very well preserved organ stone stands in the monastery church of St. Thekla in Welden near Augsburg. At the last restoration, much of the metal pipe had to be replaced. The occasionally encountered information, stone 've built an organ in the Cathedral of Eichstätt, should be based on a mistake. This instrument was equipped yet in 1800 with a short octave, the stone looked as out of date. Presumably, he said, only a repair.

Klavierbauer

The appointment as organist at the Franciscan Church and the task to supervise the organs in the Augsburg churches, granted Stone a solid basic income. Therefore, he could turn to the construction of pianofortes increasingly. Here he succeeded in 1773 to improve the "German piano mechanics", which decisively in advancing the pianoforte and the shoulder of the musical instrument gave strong boost.

The pianoforte was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Florence in 1700 with a push -mechanism, which initially so could not be established in the following decades. Johann Andreas Stein is to equip the Viennese action, in which the hammers are mounted directly to the key levers with a so-called activation succeeded. This piano has been so reliable, sounded full and efficient modulation. The new sound feeling enthusiastic Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. With the acquisition of stone development by Viennese piano maker, the term " Viennese action " was born. In addition to the improvements to the pianoforte, Stein dealt with inventions of other musical instruments. Several times he built so-called Vis-a -vis blades with a harpsichord and fortepiano face each other in an instrument body. Two of these instruments have been preserved.

The Mozart family was well acquainted with Johann Andreas Stein. In 1763 Leopold Mozart acquired during your stay in Augsburg Travel piano for his son, the Wolfgang Amadeus then played for years. 14 years later, the longest established names in Augsburg composer gave a concert at the House Fugger, for three pianos in were equally been provided. The organist Johann Michael Demmler played on the first, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on the second and Johann Andreas Stein on the third wing. Although Wolfgang Amadeus said in a letter to his father excited about the instruments stone, he never had to buy a wing in stone. In Vienna he played mostly pianos by Anton Walter, who already had a scavenger for the back bouncing off the strings hammers, thus a faster repetition was possible.

Stone built over the course of his life in his Augsburg workshop about 700 pianos that were in demand throughout Europe. In Augsburg Mozart House is one of the pianos in stone, made ​​in 1785, kept. His instruments he signed the fashion of the time corresponding with the French version of his name " Jean André stone ".

Stein fortepiano were among their time to the late 18th century to the top products of the keyboard instrument making. Previously, this was true for the Antwerp harpsichord Ruckers family, and later for English fortepiano by Broadwood, then for the French manufacturer Pleyel and Erard, and since the late 19th century for Steinway & Sons. Therefore, include stone wing of the icons of the historical music performance practice and also the collector.

Progeny

  • Nannette Streicher née Anna -Maria Stein ( born January 2, 1769 in Augsburg, † March 16 1833 in Vienna). She went with the pianist and piano maker Johann Andreas Streicher 1794, the marriage and led the paternal heritage continues with her brother, then to business separation of siblings alone or with her husband Andreas Streicher in Vienna.
  • Matthew Andreas Stein ( born December 12, 1776 in Augsburg, † May 6, 1842 in Vienna)
  • Frederick Stone ( born May 26, 1784 in Augsburg, † March 5, 1809 in Vienna)

List of works (selection)

Klavierbauer Dynasty

Johann Andreas Stein's children Matthew Andrew and Anna -Maria Stone, called Nannette, took over after his death in 1792, his father's workshop. However, two years later, they moved to Vienna and opened a piano factory there together under the name of " Frère et Soeur stone ". In 1802 they separated the joint business. Matthew Andrew led his company under the name " André stone " on. He was with Ludwig van Beethoven known whose instruments he also waited.

Carl Andreas Stein ( born September 4, 1797 † August 28, 1863 in Vienna)

Also Matthew Andreas ' son, Carl learned to play the piano maker craft. He received in 1829 his piano maker authority and in 1841 took over the business of the famous piano maker Conrad Graf in the moonlight house. In 1844 he received the title of " kuk Hof - Pianoforte artificer ".

Under the name Streicher pianos were produced until its closure in 1896 over several generations.

Source

  • Catalogue of the Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments, Part I: Strings Pianos Vienna Museum of Art History in 1966
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